• Question: why do chickens have red skin hanging under their chin?

    Asked by lilycarter to Charlotte, Jo, Kevin, Louise, Valeria on 20 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 20 Jun 2012:

      It’s called a wattle!

      One of the main things that wattles do is cool the chicken down. This happens when the blood circulates from the comb (top of the head) to the wattles. The circulating blood lowers the temperature of the chicken during the hot weather.

    • Photo: Joanna Cruden

      Joanna Cruden answered on 22 Jun 2012:

      As Kevin says it helps them cool down because they cannot sweat, but it is also used to attract a mate

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